Thursday, September 13, 2012

Do laws work?

In reading and hearing about certain events lately the thought occurred to me that many laws are only laws for some of us. Depending on who we are and how much influence we have makes a lot of difference in the enforcement and consequences of breaking the law. Not being judgemental or whether their actions are right or wrong I look at certain striking factions. From what I understand, they are conducting illegal strikes. As long as I can remember it has been illegal for school teachers to strike. Right now teachers are carrying on strikes in certain school districts. I haven't read anything regarding prosecution or sanctions resulting from those illegal strikes. The students look to those teachers for instruction of course but as teachers they are also a moral guide towards being an upstanding citizen. After all, we certainly don't want criminals teaching our children do we?

So anyway, I simply don't understand the law when it comes to a huge voting block of professionals with almost unlimited cash resources for lobbying and political influence. A legal strike is an important tool in maintaining a level bargaining position improving the work place through cooperation between those bargaining factions. Necessary and useful. However, because the educational system is funded by tax dollars, and technically teachers are civil servants, it is my u8nderstanding that teacher strikes are against the law. If that is indeed the case, what is keeping the government agency in charge from disciplinary actions? I'm just asking? I think kids should be in school without worrying about whether the teacher is a criminal or not. Being taught by someone who has disdain and disrespect for the laws of this country. Who decides which of us has to be law abiding and which does not? But, maybe that's just me.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Interesting to me stuff

Some things I may find interesting may be simply old news to others. Such is the transference of information isn't it? Some things that you and I may consider common sense can be cause for enlightenment to others. And then there is always the controversial stuff like politics that brings the hair up on the necks of some of us.
The mundane: The Carpel tunnel surgery I just had was a piece of cake. The results are unknown but at least I had it done after 30 years of sleeping hands. Did you ever try to wash only one hand? It is an acquired skill isn't it?
The controversial: A judge (female) explained to a groping victim that she had been in a bar when the offense happened. What did she expect? The offender was convicted and sentenced for the crime but afterward the judge felt the victim needed some educating concerning putting herself in danger. Some people argue with the judges reasoning, others simply see it as common sense.
The truly enlightening: I had the opportunity to send a small, one and a half pound package to a town in England. Not ever having dealt with trans-oceanic shipping before I assumed it would be on the expensive side. Shipping to California for that same package is about $16. Assuming (remember the phrase about assuming) that England was maybe a thousand miles further I figured double the price, on the outside maybe triple the price. Yeah right! $98.90. I call that enlightening.
Downright laughable: A TV news reporter was commenting on the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Asked what the biggest difference was he replied: Well, they don't agree on the way they should spend tax money. I guess we are all guilty of stating the obvious on occasion aren't we?
Life teaching moment: Attended the 50 year class reunion of my high school this weekend. In years past the affairs would last far into the night and early morning hours. We left around 9:30 pm and there were very few people left then. What did I learn? As I we grow older, we have become so efficient at everything, even reunions that we can have hours and hours of fun in a much shorter time. Yup! We've become that good at enjoying ourselves.

Truthfully, this posting was way longer and substantially more profound but for some unknown reason the electronic demons from hell saw to it that much of it was sent to the sun and burned up in a solar flare. Uh, huh, yeah, that's what it was.
 
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